John, my husband, said after he shut off the alarm at 4:30 a.m. I laughed. I had already been up since 4 a.m. I always have trouble sleeping the night before races.

“We’re up at 4:30 on a Saturday morning, and we’re going to go pay to exercise,” he continued as he pulled on his shorts.

While early morning starts might not be his thing, John has been training for the VT50 ultramarathon, so a triathlon was not in his training regimen. But, after I signed up for the Sunset Lake Olympic Distance Triathlon, he decided he wanted to do it as well. And, so, there we were, 4:30 on a Saturday morning, getting ready to *pay* to exercise, to use John’s words.

To me, races are more than just exercise. They are a time to join with a community of others who enjoy similar interests, a time to push ourselves past perceived limits, and a time to give purpose to the solitary training we’ve been doing day in, day out. Many of the races we do also benefit some charity. The Sunset Lake Tri benefitted the Bridgeton Exchange Club, which offers various youth programs and works to prevent child abuse. All of this, plus a boost to my physical well-being? I’ll take it. As as the day progressed, it became clear that this event was one that was well worth the 4 a.m. start.

It took us about an hour to drive to the race site. Once there, we picked up our race packets–race number, timing chip, swim cap–got our body marking (volunteers write your race number on your arm and your age on the back of your calf), and grabbed our bags and headed over to the transition area. John’s mom, Jeanne, bought us these awesome transition bags that have all kinds of compartments for your bike, run, and swim gear. New to triathlons, I didn’t even know such bags existed–but now I’m happy I have one!

The transition area consists of a series of metal racks with numbers on them. The number on the rack corresponds to your race number. I was number 31. Yet, I mistakenly set up my bike at number 30. (Two weeks ago at the Killington, VT triathlon, I was number 30). A few minutes later a woman came up to me and said, “I’m 30.” I replied, “Oh, I’m 35.” Then, I realized she wasn’t telling me how old she was, she was trying to let me know I was in the wrong spot. Oops.

After some milling about, it was time for the pre-race meeting. We listened to the basics about the swim, bike and run course, listened to the rules from the USAT official, and then we were 60 seconds from the start of the race. First up was a .9 mile swim in the lake, which was unfortunately rather disgusting. There were thick, gooey patches of green and brown algae everywhere. At one point, I had swum directly into one of these patches and could feel it sticking to the top of my swim cap. I lifted my head from the water, and the algae ran down the front of my face. I looked over at one of the lifeguards who happened to be relatively close by. I said, “This is awesome!” He laughed, “I’m glad you think so.”

After 28 minutes of swimming in the ooze, I exited the lake, ripping off my goggles and cap as I ran for the transition area. Once at the transition area, it was: bike shoes, helmet, grab my bike and go. The bike leg of the triathlon was 25 miles through beautiful country. The route traversed farmland brimming with corn, tomatoes, blueberries, cucumbers–all the best that Jersey Fresh produce has to offer. We passed through wooded areas, little residential spaces, and open grassy fields.

Surprisingly, the bike route had quite a few rolling hills, and with a strong headwind, it was an invigorating challenge that left me almost breathless in some spots. I pushed hard, which I hadn’t done in previous triathlons. I had been afraid of going too hard on the bike and not having anything left for the run. But, I decided I would push the bike as much as I could, and if I hit the wall in the run, so be it. I wanted to see what I had. Turns out, more than I thought! I finished the bike in 1 hour and 23 minutes (averaging 18 miles per hour). While that may not seem very fast to experienced triathletes and cyclists, that was a great pace for me – especially over hills and in the wind. But, more importantly, the bike offered insights into the spirit of the tri community. 

Around mile 4 on the bike, I saw a woman I had been speaking with prior to the start of the swim. Like myself, this race was her first olympic distance triathlon, and we shared our anxieties and excitement as we waited for the race to start. When I saw her on the bike, I asked, “How was your swim?” She replied, “Great! But, now I’m on my least favorite part–and I lost my water bottle!” I had two water bottles, so I immediately grabbed one and gave it to her. I couldn’t imagine biking 21 more miles without any water.   

Somewhere around mile 20 or 21 during the bike, it was my turn for some assistance. We were climbing one of the heavier hills, and I shifted gears to accommodate the load. As I did, the chain on my bike popped off. Damn! I hopped off, and set about fixing the chain. As I was fixing the chain, several people passed me. One of them, a young man who was laboring up the hill, got so close to me he almost knocked me over. Thanks, buddy! While I realize the hill was challenging, I would have appreciated an inch or two so I could fix my bike.

Right behind him, a woman slowed down and asked if I needed anything. I told her I was good–”The chain just popped off.” After I got it fixed, I caught back up with her and expressed my gratitude. She said, “That’s what you’re supposed to do.” As I passed her, she saw my age on my calf and yelled jokingly, “Wait, you’re in my age group! I don’t need to help you!” We laughed. Racing isn’t about competition, it is about doing your best and being your best–and that means reaching out to others in need.

As I returned to the transition area following the bike, I quickly changed my shoes and put on my hat. Six point two miles to run before the finish. The exertion from the bike took its toll on my legs. The first two miles were not exactly the best running I’ve ever done. My heart rate was much too elevated for the pace I was running, and my legs felt very heavy. But, I kept putting one foot in front of the other, concentrating on my breathing, working on finding a rhythm. Around mile 3, I found it. My breathing settled, and my heart rate along with it. My pace quickened. The run was a two loop course, and John and I passed each other’s paths twice–he was about 3 minutes ahead of me. The second time, he shouted, “You go girl!” To which I replied, “You go boy!”

The run course was excellent. Most of it was tucked away on shaded dirt paths, some of which followed a little creek. There were a few challenging hills and twists, which kept me mentally alert–as well as physically engaged. Volunteers and water stops were everywhere–I think practially every half mile.

I rounded the final corner and could see the finish line. I dug in and gave it one last kick over the finish line, which I crossed 2 hours and 44 minutes after the start of the race. I finished 45th overall, which was enough for me to place in the top 3 of my age group. Woo-hoo! The medals were hand-blown glass from Wheaton Village–so personalized!

After collecting our gear and packing it up, we helped ourselves to the post-race food, which was homemade by the volunteers of the Bridgeton Exchange Club. Three varieties of pasta salad, cucumber and tomato salad, grilled vegetables–made with Jersey Fresh produce.They had dixie cups full of fresh Jersey blueberries, along with bananas, peaches, and freshly baked bread.  It was one of the best (if not the best) post-race spreads I’ve had.

The Sunset Lake Triathlon was an excellent event, with plentiful volunteers, excellent organization, and plenty of personal touches. Definitely not stupid.

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